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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| St Asaph flood death: Margaret Hughes 'had no alert' | St Asaph flood death: Margaret Hughes 'had no alert' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A 91-year-old woman who died during severe flooding had joined a flood warning scheme but an alert failed to reach her, an inquest heard. | A 91-year-old woman who died during severe flooding had joined a flood warning scheme but an alert failed to reach her, an inquest heard. |
| Margaret Hughes was found drowned in her bungalow during floods at St Asaph, Denbighshire, in November 2012. | Margaret Hughes was found drowned in her bungalow during floods at St Asaph, Denbighshire, in November 2012. |
| She had signed up to receive alerts through her daughter Gwenda Jones's mobile phone, however she said she didn't get one on that day. | |
| Water levels rose by up to 7ft (2.1m) in about 30 minutes. | Water levels rose by up to 7ft (2.1m) in about 30 minutes. |
| RNLI footage from inside Mrs Hughes's house played to the inquest showed a bed was nearly submerged in one room with objects and furniture floating around it, while in the kitchen, the floodwater was up to the level of the worktops. | RNLI footage from inside Mrs Hughes's house played to the inquest showed a bed was nearly submerged in one room with objects and furniture floating around it, while in the kitchen, the floodwater was up to the level of the worktops. |
| Inundated | Inundated |
| Fire fighters, lifeboat crews and police were among those involved in the evacuation of residents after more than 400 homes and businesses were inundated. | Fire fighters, lifeboat crews and police were among those involved in the evacuation of residents after more than 400 homes and businesses were inundated. |
| Great-grandmother Mrs Hughes did not have a landline or mobile phone so her daughter, Gwenda Jones, opted to receive the flood alerts via mobile on her behalf. | Great-grandmother Mrs Hughes did not have a landline or mobile phone so her daughter, Gwenda Jones, opted to receive the flood alerts via mobile on her behalf. |
| She told the inquest she had never received a phone warning before. | She told the inquest she had never received a phone warning before. |
| On 26 November, she switched her phone off "just after midnight", as she normally did. | On 26 November, she switched her phone off "just after midnight", as she normally did. |
| Mrs Jones was told about the river Elwy bursting its banks the following morning at about 08:00 GMT by her son. | Mrs Jones was told about the river Elwy bursting its banks the following morning at about 08:00 GMT by her son. |
| She immediately switched her phone on. Asked if there were any messages relating to flood warnings on the phone, she told the inquest: "None whatsoever." | She immediately switched her phone on. Asked if there were any messages relating to flood warnings on the phone, she told the inquest: "None whatsoever." |
| Previous warnings | Previous warnings |
| Mrs Jones said residents where her mother lived had received flood warnings in the years before, and had been evacuated, but the incidents had not been serious. | Mrs Jones said residents where her mother lived had received flood warnings in the years before, and had been evacuated, but the incidents had not been serious. |
| She said: "They'd had two previous flood warnings there and there were no problems at all there... the first one was around the year 2000 and the other one was a few years after." | She said: "They'd had two previous flood warnings there and there were no problems at all there... the first one was around the year 2000 and the other one was a few years after." |
| Mrs Jones said it was a "possibility" her mother could have thought: "Well I'm still safe in my own home." | Mrs Jones said it was a "possibility" her mother could have thought: "Well I'm still safe in my own home." |
| Mrs Jones added: "I don't know what was going through her head that morning." | Mrs Jones added: "I don't know what was going through her head that morning." |
| The inquest heard Mrs Hughes had suffered osteoporosis for 30 to 40 years, but according to her daughter she was very independent. | The inquest heard Mrs Hughes had suffered osteoporosis for 30 to 40 years, but according to her daughter she was very independent. |
| Mrs Jones said her mother had a pendant-style panic button which she kept on a unit in the house. | Mrs Jones said her mother had a pendant-style panic button which she kept on a unit in the house. |
| Asked by the coroner whether her mother had a landline, she said no. | Asked by the coroner whether her mother had a landline, she said no. |
| She added: "We were trying to sort one out for her." | She added: "We were trying to sort one out for her." |
| The hearing is due to last five days. | The hearing is due to last five days. |